Too Many Dead Animals at the Roadside: Why Mallorca's Roads Are Becoming Death Traps

Too Many Dead Animals at the Roadside: Why Mallorca's Roads Are Becoming Death Traps

Last weekend, on the country road toward Sineu: cicadas chirping, a tractor rumbling in the distance, and on the hard shoulder another small curled-up creature — the headlights still visible in the rearview mirror. Scenes like this are no longer isolated incidents; they are part of the island's soundscape. But are there really more accidents — or are we just looking more closely?

The Numbers Behind the Feeling

The Observatori d’Atropellaments de Fauna a les Illes Balears (OAFIB) recorded 1,496 reported wildlife collisions in the Balearic Islands from January to September 2025. Since monitoring began in 2004, there have been about 5,242 documented run-overs in total. Notably: 171 cases were reported in September this year, of which 136 were on Mallorca. Some familiar suspects stand out: the porcupine with 76 reports, the stone marten (19) and the rabbit (12). Over the years the project has recorded 118 species overall.

Why More — Traffic, Animals or Reporting?

That is the central question: Is the increase due to more traffic and higher speeds, changes in wildlife populations, light and noise pollution, or because people are reporting incidents more often? The truth is: probably all of the above. In the evening hours, when the heat subsides and roads seem emptier, animals are active. Drivers going too fast have little reaction time. In addition, more main routes — such as the fast road toward Manacor, the Palma–Sa Pobla connection or the side roads around Sineu — have become real accident hotspots.

What Is Missing from the Public Debate

One aspect rarely mentioned is the fragmentation of habitats. Roads are not only obstacles; they split territories, destroy migration corridors and force animals to take risky crossings. Another, less visible point: carcass removal and reporting routines. If carcasses are cleared quickly, the visibility of the problem decreases — that can lead to areas being less monitored and data gaps. Invasive species and new food sources near settlements also change the behavior of native animals; some species shift their movement patterns closer to roads.

More Reports Bring Knowledge, but Not Automatically Protection

Scientists emphasize that part of the increase is due to more people submitting observations: walkers, farmers, commuters and volunteers send photos and precise locations. That is good — it makes the problem visible. But visibility alone is not enough. Data must be translated into concrete measures: where should signs be placed, where should speed be reduced, where are wildlife crossings useful?

Concrete Steps — What Would Help Now

Short term: more local warning signs for evening hours, temporary speed reductions at known danger spots and awareness campaigns especially before dusk and in fog. Medium term requires investment in ecological crossings and better road design: green bridges, underpasses, guardrails with passages for small animals. Not everything is expensive: targeted drainage, bushes along certain stretches or reflective markings can keep animals off the asphalt.

Who Is Responsible?

Responsibility does not rest solely with drivers; authorities, landowners and municipalities are also required to act. On Mallorca, where neighboring fincas, shepherds and weekend drivers shape the landscape, coordinated local solutions are needed. And you, dear reader: report sightings to OAFIB. A photo, a location — small effort, big impact for the next night drive.

Next time I will drive more slowly when the country road near Sineu narrows. Maybe then you'll hear the cicadas and see an animal safely slip away into the field instead of a carcass. It is possible — if we start not only counting but acting.